Flashlight



Aug. 18, 1942. H. 1. NICHOLAS 2,293,660

FLASHLIGHT Filed April 2, 1942 Patented Aug.' 18, 1942 FLASHLIGHT Harold I. Nicholas, Chicago, Ill., lassignor to Burke & James, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application April 2, 1942, Serial No. 437,399l

6 Claims.

This invention relates, in general, to flashlights, but more specifically to a holder for a flashlight bulb, which latter is generally employed for producing a flash of light for photographic purposes.

Heretofore, bulbs or lights of this character have generally been secured in a holder either by means of a bayonet joint, or by means of screwthreads, and when it is desired to remove the bulb it must be manipulated to uncouple or unscrew the same.

It is Well known that after a flash, the bulb is very hot and difficult tohandle with comfort, with the result that, frequently, the operators hand is burned. Further, the heat at times is so intense that parts swell and the joint becomes "frozen, rendering it diilicult to remove the bulb until it cools olf. This is not only very annoying, but also time-consuming.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an improved holder for a lamp or -bulb of this character, wherein there is provided means for automatically releasing and ejecting the bulb from the holder, at the will of the operator.

A further object is to provide in a device of this character, improved means embodying aV a ash and then an ejection of the bulb from the holder.

To the vattainment' of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawing illustrating this invention, and in which Fig. 1 is a view, in elevation, of a flashlight of this character, constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a left-hand end elevation of Fig. 1, with the parts broken away.

Fig. 3 is a view, in elevation, of a lamp bulbv adapted for use with this invention.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a lamp being elected therefrom, the lamp being shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on line 5 5. Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on line 6-6, Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the circuit make and break mechanism.

The holder consists, essentially, of a. casing l0 which may be of any desired size and configuration, and constructed of any suitable material. The holder is hollow, .and is provided with a closure II for one end thereof, which latter may be secured in position in any suitable manner such as, by means of a. bayonet joint l2.

Within the holder and spaced from one A.end thereof is a partition I3, formed in any suitable manner, but preferably of insulating material. An opening I5 extends through the partition I3, and this opening is enlarged, as at I6, to form a shoulder I'l.

A plunger I8 passes through the opening l5, and is provided with a head on one end, against which a spring I9 rests. The spring is preferably a coil spring which encompasses the plunger, and the other end thereof rests against the shoulder l'l.

The normal tendency of the spring I9 is to force the plunger I8 downwardly against the contact end 20 of a battery 2| arranged within the handle or holder. There are preferably a plurality of batteries 2| superposed so as to increase the strength of the current.

The plunger I8 may be held against displacement with respect to the partition I3 in any suitable manner such as by means of a pin 22 passing therethrough.

Arranged, also, within the holder I0 is another partition 23, preferably constructed of insulating material, and which is held in position in any suitable manner. This partition 23 preferably abuts the partition I3, and passing through the partition 23 is an opening 24. The opening 24 at one end of the partition 23 is enlarged, as at 25, to form a chamber, and is enlarged at the other end, as at 26, to form another chamber opening through the opposite end thereof.

A plunger 21 passes through the opening 2l, and is provided with a head 28 disposed within the chamber 26. On the opposite end 'of the plunger is another head 29 which is disposed within the chamber 25.

A coil spring 30 is also disposed within the chamber 25 and surrounds the plunger 24, one end of the spring resting against the bottom of the chamber 25, while the other'end o'f the spring rests against a shoulder 3I on 'the plunger. The normal tendency of the spring 30 is to force the plunger 24 away from the partition I3, so that the end of the plunger willv prcject into a socket Y 32 in the end of the holder.

The socket 32 is provided with slots 33 in the wall thereof, and the partition 23 is provided with an opening 34 extending transversely thereacross, to intersect the chamber 26. Withinthis opening 34 is arranged a plunger 35, which is in the plunger 35, one end of the spring resting` against the bottom of the opening in the plunger, while the other end of the spring rests against a suitable stop. The normal tendency of the spring 39 is to force the plunger 35 out of the opening 34 for a purpose to be described.

The numeral 40 designates a, leaf spring member disposed adjacent the outside of the holder I0, and is secured to the holder, as at 4I. This spring encompasses a portion of the holder adjacent one of the slots 33 to extend thereacross,

and forms a closure therefor, and-is provided with a shoulder 42 adapted to project into one of the slots.

, Connected to the end of the spring 40, vas at 43, is a lever 44 which is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends upon a fulcrum 45 secured to the holder. A second lever 46 is pivotally connected, as at 41, to the fulcrum 45, the pivot 41 preferably constituting the pivot for b oth of the levers 44 and 46.

The free end 48a of the lever 46 is disposed adjacent the end of the plunger 35, and may preferably be provided with a bearing 49 which contacts the insulated portion of the plunger 35.

` by reason of the fact that the plungers I5 and 24 will contact with such insulated portion 38. When, however, the lever 46 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 4 a suflicient distance,

the plunger 35 will be moved inwardly, thereby causing the insulated portion 36 of the plunger 35 to move out of contact with th'e plungers I5 and 24,v to permit the latter to contact the conducting portion 38a of the plunger 35, and thereby complete the circuit through the lamp when the latter is in the holder.

The lamp 45 may be of any desired type and construction, but is preferably provided with a metal base 46 having an end terminal 41. Projecting from the base 46 are lugs or extensions 48. This lamp is adapted to be inserted into the socket 32 by causing the projections 48 to enter the slots 33.

As one of the projections 48 contacts with the shoulder 42, it will cause the spring 4D to yield lso that the projection 48 may pass thereunder, as shown in Figs. 1 and'2 of-.the drawing, to be locked into the socket 32.

As the lamp is placed within the socket', the end 41 contacts the end of 'the plunger 29, therei by compressing the spring-30 and forcing the plunger downwardly, and the spring 38 will be Y maintained under tension so long as the lamp is thus locked in the socket 32. 1

After the lever 46 has been moved to the position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, the circuit,

lever 44, to rock the latter about the pivot 41..

When the lever 44 is thus rocked, the end of the spring 40 will be moved away from the holder I0, and the shoulder 42 of the spring 40 will be moved out of the slot 33 a suicient distance to permit the lamp or bulbV 45, under the influence of the spring 30, to be ejected socket 32.

As soon as pressure is relieved upon the lever 46, the spring 33, in connection with the spring 48, will tend to cause the levers to move back to their normal positions, and the plunger 35 to a, position that the insulated portion 38 thereof will be engaged by the ends of the plungers 24andl5.

The lamp may beplaced into the socketwithout the operator actuating either of the levers 46 or 44, as all that is necessary is to place the lamp in the socket, with the projections 48 in alinement with the slots.33, and then depress from the the same against the stress of the spring 30 and the spring 40, which will cause the spring 40 to yield to permit the projection 48 to pass the shoulder 42. Subsequently thereto, the spring 40 Will assume a normal position to lock the lamp within the socket.

While the preferred form of the invention has been herein shown and described, it is to bev understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as newis: "f

1. A device of the character described, inclu ing a .lamp socket, means for retaining a lamp against removal from the socket, a circuit controlling means, means responsive to the operation of the said circuit controlling means for rendering said retaining means inactive, and means for ejecting the lamp with respect to said socket when the said retaining means is rendered inactive,

2. A device of the character described, inclu-d-A ing alamp receiving socket, means tending normally to eject the lamp from said socket, retaining means for maintaining the lamp in the socket against the stress of the said ejecting means, circuit controlling means, and means operable after a predetermined degree of movement of said circuit controlling means for-rendering said retaining means ineiective, to render said ejecting means effective.

3. 'A device of the character described, including a -lamp receiving socket, means tending normally to eject the lamp from said socket, locking means for retaining the lamp in the socket against the stress of theV said ejecting means, circuit controlling means, and means operable aftery cuit controlling means for rendering said locking means ineffective, to render said ejecting means eiective, the said circuit controlling means embodying a shiftable element, a portion of which serves to complete the circuit and another portion serves to interrupt the circuit.

4. In a device of the character described, a lamp receiving socket, means tending normally to eject the lamp from the socket, means embodying a shiftable element for maintaining the lamp in the socket and against the stress of said ejecting means, an actuator for rendering said element ineiective, to permit the lamp to be ejected from the socket, and a shiftable circuit controlling element, the said actuator being responsive in its movement to, and after a predetermined degree of movement of, the said circuit controlling element.

5. In a device of the character described, a lamp receiving socket, means tending normally to eject the lamp from the socket, means embodying a shiftable locking element for maintaining the lamp in the socket and against the stress of said ejecting means, an actuator element for rendering said locking means ineffective, to permit the lamp to be ejected from the socket, and a shiftable circuit controlling element, the said actuator element being responsive in its movement to, and after a predetermined degree of movement of, the said circuit controlling element, the said actuator element and the said circuit controlling element embodying a compound lever, one section of which is operable subsequent to the operation of the other section.

6. In a device of the character described, a lamp receiving socket having a recess in its wall opening through one end of the socket, in combination with a lamp bulb provided with a lateral projection adapted to enter the recess when the lamp is seated in the socket, a locking element serving to close the recess and beneath which element said projection extends to lock the lamp against removal from the socket, a resiliently influencedV plunger to be engaged and depressed by the lamp, said plunger tending normally to eject the lamp from the socket, a shiftable element for controlling the lamp circuit, and means whereby after a predetermined movement of said circuit controlling element, the said locking element will be shifted to release the lamp to permit the lamp to be ejected from the socket by the said plunger.

HAROLD I. NICHOLAS. 

